Adaptive conduit connection, particularly for bringing blowing petroleum wells under control

ABSTRACT

When a petroleum wellhead conduit part equipped with a clampreceiving wedging flange and tapered sealing ring seat at one end, as shown in the U.S. Pat. of Watts et al., U.S. Pat. No. 2,766,829, issued Oct. 16, 1956, is to be connected with a part having a bolt-receiving flange, an adapter is provided which may be used for closing in a blowing well by allowing blowout control equipment such as a blowout preventer or master valve to be initially secured to the one part of the adapter, swung into place in an &#39;&#39;&#39;&#39;open&#39;&#39;&#39;&#39; condition and fully circumferentially secured to the adapter. The control equipment may then be closed to shut in the well. Additionally to this special use, the adapter may be used to interconnect parts whose end connectors differ in type from one another.

United States Patent [72] Inventors 211 Appl. No. [22] Filed [45]Patented [73] Assignee [54] ADAPTIVE CONDUIT CONNECTION,

PARTICULARLY FOR BRINGING BLOWING PETROLEUM WELLS UNDER CONTROL 8Claims, 4 Drawing Figs.

[52] [1.8. CI 166/75, 166/92, 285/283, 285/368 [51] Int. Cl F2111 33/03[50] Field oi'Seareh l66/75.92; 285/283, 368

[56] Relerences Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,272,312 7/1918 Podobiedoff166/92 1,994,454 3/1935 Cross 2,517,655 8/1950 Gillespie l66/92.

2,755,863 7/l956 Stansbury, Jr. et al 166/92 2,766,829 10/1956 Watts etal 166/75 FOREIGN PATENTS l70,440 4/1965 U,S.S.R. 166/92 PrimaryExaminer-James A. Leppink Attorney-Cushman, Darby & Cushman ABSTRACT:When a petroleum wellhead conduit part equipped with a clamp-receivingwedging flange and tapered sealing ring seat at one end, as shown in theUS. Pat. of Watts et al., U.S. Pat. No. 2,766,829, issued Oct. I6, 1956,is to be connected with a part having a bolt-receiving flange, anadapter is provided which may be used for closing in a blowing well byallowing blowout control equipment such as a blowout preventer or mastervalve to be initially secured to the one part of the adapter, swung intoplace in an open" condition and fully circumferentially secured to theadapter. The control equipment may then be closed to shut in the well.Additionally to this special use, the adapter may be used tointerconnect parts whose end connectors differ in type from one another.

PATENTEUBEC mm 3325mm SHEET 1 BF 2 35 34 in 4 V 0 O 2! 0 a? 35 0 0 f Wm3 Align 35 C) O 0 0 J [NVENTORS' DOUGL/QS MWJW ATTORNEYS ADAPTIVECONDUIT CONNECTION, PARTICULARLY FOR BRINGING BLOWING PETROLEUM WELLSUNDER CONTROL BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Gray Tool Company of Houston,Texas, and its licensees furnish process plant and petroleum wellheadequipment in which several of the conduit parts such as casing heads,tubing heads, bonnets, valve bodies and spools (parts of wellheads) areprovided with ends especially adapted to be sealingly mated with partshaving like ends, internally utilizing flexible lipped sealing rings andexternally utilizing circumferential clamps as shown in the US. patentof Watts et al., U.S. Pat. No. 2,766,829, issued Oct. 16, 1956, forwhich connections and constituent parts the trademark Grayloc is used.Further examples of the use of Grayloc connections in wellheads areshown on pages 2,108, 2,114, 2,124, 2,126, 2,127 and 2,142 of theComposite Catalog of Oilfield Equipment and Services, 1968-69 Edition,Gulf Publishing Company, Houston, Texas.

Another more generally used connector used for coupling wellhead partsutilizes circumferential flanges on the parts, each being provided witha circle of bolt holes through which bolts are received and have nutstightened thereon to establish joints. Various sealing elements may beprovided between such ends, for instance, A.P.I. gasket rings or lensrings. Examples of the use of bolted flange end connections of wellheadconduit parts are shown in the same edition of the Composite Catalog ofOilfield Equipment and Services on pages 2,103, 2,109, 2,131 and 2,132.As should be apparent, some operators prefer to use the Graylocconnection exclusively, others prefer to use the bolted flange endconnection. Many use both or what is available from suppliers inventory.There are occasionswhen interconnection of parts of both types on handwould save an operator from waiting on shipping of a part of one type orthe other, or from waiting for a Grayloc end to be machined on theexisting part having the bolted flange end.

One particular instance where there is a need to quickly convert aGrayloc hub for a bolted flange connection occurs when a petroleum wellbeing drilled or completed (with wellhead parts shown on the firstaforementioned group of Composite Catalog pages) blows out. When a wellis blowing wild, for example through 7-inch casing and there is a flangeto which a master valve or blowout preventer can be attached, it hasbeen a normal practice to insert a long bolt through one of the boltholes in the flange. Then a flanged master valve having a bore at leastas large as the bore of the pipe through which the well is blowing andhaving a bolt circle the same as the flange to which it is to beattached, is also connected to the long bolt, but away from the wellflow. The long bolt now serves as a swivel bolt. The master valve isthen rotated on the swivel bolt over the well flow, and when it becomesaligned with its mating flange, is lowered to rest on the flange. Someflange bolts are installed and thoroughly tightened. The master valve isnow ready to be closed, thereby shutting in the wild well.

In the past, although the excellent history of safe use of connections,as shown in the aforementioned Watts et al. patent, in wellheads hasencouraged their utilization, there have been some who have held back onuse because of the anticipated difficulty of shutting in a wild blowingwell by the above outlined well-known procedure, when parts with Graylocends were involved, should it be necessary.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides a connectoradapter for quicklyadapting conduit ends of the type shown in the 0.8.patent of'Watts et al., US. Pat. No. 2,766,829, to bolted flangeconnection, especially for instances when fluid is flowing at a rapidrate through the conduit, as occurs when a petroleum well is blowingwild.

-When a petroleum wellhead conduit part equipped with a clamp-receivingwedging flange and tapered sealing ring seat at one end, as shown in theWatts et al. patent, is to be connected with a part having abolt-receiving flange, an adapter is provided which may be used forclosing in a blowing well by allowing blowout control equipment such asa blowout preventer or master valve to be initially secured to the onepart of the adapter, swung into place in an open" condition and fullycircumferentially secured to the adapter. The control equipment may thenbe closed to shut in the well. Additionally to this special use, theadapter may be used to interconnect parts whose end connectors differ intype from one another. The principles of the invention will be furtherhereinafler discussed with reference to the drawings wherein a preferredembodiment is shown. The specifics illustrated in the drawings areintended to exemplify, rather than limit, aspects of the invention asdefined in the claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a top plan view of the newclamp;

FIG. 2 is a side elevation view of the new clamp partly broken away andsectioned to expose interior detail;

FIG. 3 is a side elevation view of the new clamp installed on a conduitend of the kind shown in the aforementioned Watts et al. patent andfurther showing a piece of control equipment pivotally mounted thereonand about to be swung into position over the conduit through bore;

FIG. 4 shows a side elevation view of the same equipment as in FIG. 3 ata later stage wherein the control equipment has been pivoted over theconduit through bore, secured in place and closed to shut in the well.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE DRAWINGSIn FIGS. 1 and 2 there is shown a conduit connector clamp 10 comprisingtwo arcuate segments 12 which are hinged to one another at 14 adjacentone end of each segment and removably securable to each other at 116adjacent the opposite end of each segment. Each segment extends throughslightly less than When the clamp is assembled and secured as shown, itprovides essentially circumferential annular clamping about the twoparts to be secured to one another.

lntemally, the annular clamp 10, beginning from its lower, axiallydownwardly facing end surface 17, is provided with a downwardly andinwardly facing, generally frustoconically curved surface 18 which actsas a centering guide to ease slipping the clamp over a conduit part end.At the upper, inner extent of the surface 18, the clamp segments areprovided with a short cylindrically curved surface 20 sized to lieradially adjacent the reduced diameter neck of a conduit part having anend as illustrated in the aforementioned US. patent of Watts et al., US.Pat. No. 2,766,829.

At the upper extent of the surface 20, the clamp segments are providedwith a generally frustoconically curved surface 22 which faces upwardlyand radially inwardly and thus increases in diameter as it proceedsupwardly. The surface 22 complements the exterior, clamp-receivingwedging surface of the conduit ends illustrated in the aforementionedWatts et al. patent. At the upper, outer extent of the surface 22, theclamp segments are provided with a radially inwardly facing, axiallyupwardly extending cylindrical surface 24 sized and positioned to lieadjacent the radially outwardly facing surface on an end of a conduit ofthe kind shown in the aforementioned Watts et al. patent. At the upperextend of the surface 24, the clamp segments are provided with anannular, axially downwardly facing, radially inwardly extending surface26 adapted to seat on the upper end surface of a conduit end of the kindshown in the aforementioned Watts et al. patent. At the radially innerextent of the surface 26, the clamp segments 12 are shown provided witha brief cylindrical surface 28 to provide axial spacing for a sealingring centralizing guide surface 30 which flares upwardly therefrom. Thesurface 28 is preferably of such diameter as to lie radially closelyadjacent the radially outer extent of the exterior rib of a flexible lipsealing ring of the type shown in the aforementioned Watts et al.patent.

The upper extent of the surface 30 merges with the axially upwardlyfacing annular upper end surface 32 of the clamp.

Referring to FIG. 1, the clamp is provided with a plurality ofbolt-receiving openings extending axially thereof between the clampupper and lower end surfaces on a standard size bolt circle, l2 of suchopenings being shown with normal angular spacing from one another.

The hinging 14 is provided by ears 34 shown welded at 35 onto eachsegment. The three cars 34 shown are axially displaced from one anotherso that they overlap one another with the two ears on one segmentreceiving the single ear on the other segment between them. The earscould be integrally cast with the respective segments. Each ear 34 hasan opening 36 formed axially therethrough. The three openings 36 are inaxial alignment and receive an axle in the form of a swivel bolt 38. Inthe embodiment shown, the bolt 38 is inserted from below, with a washer40 preassembled thereon so that the head of the bolt 38 lies at 42. Atthe level where the bolt emerges from the topmost ear opening 36, thebolt shank is shown circumferentially grooved at 44 to receive a snapring 46 which holds the swivel bolt in position as shown with asubstantial length of bolt shank protruding above the ears 34. The upperend region of the shank 48 is threaded for a sufficient distance tothreadably receive a nut 50.

At the opposite ends of the segments, a quick connect, quick disconnecttype securement 16 is provided. By preference, but not of necessity, thesecurement is of the type shown and extensively discussed in the U.S.patent of Watts, U.S. Pat. No. 3,l8l,90l, issued May 4, I955. Suffice itto say here that with the securement unlatched and the clamp segmentspivoted apart about the bolt 38, the clamp 10 may be slipped about thehub H of a conduit end of the described type in the aforementioned Wattset al. patent, the segments pivoted closed, and the securement 16latched to secure the clamp 10 on the conduit C (as depicted in FIG. 3).It should be noted that this leaves the sealing ring seat S of theconduit free to receive a sealing ring R, as will be described below,and presents the bolt circle of the flange 54 of the clamp in conditionto receive a set of bolts for mating the flange 54 to another part.

The special instance of controlling a wild well in which fluids underpressure from subterranean forces are blowing from a partly completed ordamaged or completed well of which the conduit C constitutes a wellheadportion, is depicted in FIGS. 3 and 4. In FIG. 3, the clamp 10 has beensecured about the hub through which the fluids are issuing. Out of thepath of the fluids, an adapter spool 56 has been pivotally mounted onthe swivel bolt 38.

The adapter spool 56 has an item of control equipment 58, particularly amaster drilling valve or blowout preventer or the like, secured thereon.Examples of both typical master drilling valves and blowout preventersare illustrated in the aforementioned U.S. patent of Watts et al.Further examples of such items of control equipment abound in theComposite Catalog of Oilfield Equipment and Services, l968-69 Edition,Gulf Publishing Company, Houston, Texas.

Basically, the purpose of the adapter spool 56 is to provide (a) a meansfor allowing an item of control equipment to be mounted on the clamp 10out of the direct path of escaping fluid for pivotal movement into thepath of the escaping fluid and (b) for sealed securement of the boltflange of the clamp 10 with respect to the control equipment.

Accordingly, the adapter 56 is exemplary in form. Provided the item ofcontrol equipment 58 itself had a bolt flange of appropriate size on itslower end, and an ear welded thereto for pivotal mounting on the swivelbolt 38, the portion illustrated at 58 could actually be the lower partof the item of control equipment itself, a separate spool then beingunnecessary.

However, in the equipment illustrated, it is assumed that the user wouldnot wish to so modify an item of control equipment, and thus a separateadapter is shown provided.

In essence, the adapter 56 is an axially short tubular element 60 havinga bolt flange 62 at its lower end, having bolt openings therethroughadapted to axially align with those of the clamp 10, and having at itsupper end a flange and securement means 64 complementary to that 66 ofthe item of control equipment 58. In the instance depicted, the controlequipment lower end flange and adapter 56 upper end flange are both ofthe bolt-receiving type and adapted to receive an unseen A.P.l. sealingring between them. Altemately, they could be of the clamp-receiving typeshown in the aforementioned U.S. patent of Watts et al., U.S. Pat. No.2,766,829, or of the clamp-receiving type shown in the aforementionedComposite Catalog, on page 1,056, under the heading "AX" Gasket Hubs.

The ear 68 shown welded at 70 to the lower end flange of the adapter 56projects laterally outwardly therefrom sufficiently to allow the adapterand item of control equipment, preassembled to one another as a controlequipment assembly 71 to be mounted on the swivel bolt while out of thedirect path of fluid issuing from the conduit C. In installing thecontrol equipment assembly 71, the ear 68, via an opening 72therethrough, is received on the swivel bolt shank from the upper end ofthe shank, after which the nut 50 is threaded onto the shank topivotally mount the adapter.

It should now be noted that the adapter 56 bore 74 at its lower end 76is provided with an internal, frustoconically curved sealing ring seat78 which may be a mirror image of the seat S of the conduit hub H. Inthe instance depicted, the seat 78 tapers at the same cone angle as theseat S, but is of somewhat greater diameter at its lower end.Accordingly the sealing ring R (FIG. 4) sealing between the surfaces 78and 8, although it is of the type shown in the U.S. patent of Watts etal., U.S. Pat. No. 2,766,829, is of a transitional modification asdescribed on page 32 of Gray Tool Company GRA YLOC" Pipe FittingsCatalog 69. By preference, the sealing ring R is preassembled to theadapter 56 by bolting it to the adapter at 80. (Such preassembly issuggested in FIG. 1 of the U.S. patent of Quebe et al., U.S. Pat. No.3,400,950, issued Sept. 10, I968, at 36, and in FIG. 10 ofthe U.S.patent to Pitts et al., U.S. Pat. No. 3,405,763, issued Oct. 15, l968,at350, 352.)

The adapter 56 lower end flange, which extends circumferentially of theadapter, is shown provided with arcuate skirts 82 welded thereto at 84,which project below the lower extent of the sealing ring R so that asthe control equipment assembly 71 is moved from its FIG. 3 orientationto its FIG. 4 orientation, the sealing ring lower lip will not bedamaged by striking the clamp. When the assembly 71 is over the clamp 10during movement from the FIG. 3 to the FIG. 4 orientation, the skirts(each of the two of which extend throughout a quadrant or somewhat more)prevent the assembly from dropping down from the level shown in FIG. 3to the level shown in FIG. 4 until the bore of the assembly 71 isaxially aligned with the bore of the conduit C. In this connection, notethat the swivel bolt shank is long enough to permit the elevation of theassembly 71 to the position shown in FIG. 3, i.e. so the skirts 82 canclear and be supported upon the clamp 10 upper end. Also note that theradially inner surfaces of the skirts 82 are of just slightly greaterdiameter than the closed clamp 10 to provide the above-noted supportuntil alignment.

When the control equipment assembly is at the stage depicted in FIG. 3,it is purposefully "open," throughbore the control equipment consists ofa blowout preventer with blind rams, the rams are separated so that thebore of the preventer is free to pass fluids therethrough.

Accordingly, the assembly 71 may be pivoted from its FIG. 3 position toits FIG. 4 position while the well fluids issue from the conduit C, thenthrough the assembly 71 throughbore and to some extent between the clamp10 and flange 62 of the control equipment assembly, until bolts areinstalled through the bolt holes of the flange 62 and clamp 10 andtightened as depicted in FIG. 4. Then the control equipment may beclosed, i.e. the blowout preventer blind rams forced together, to shutoff flow from the well and thus bring it under control. The well maythen be further completed, abandoned or repaired in accordance withknown procedures.

To summarize the description above, when a petroleum wellhead conduitpart equipped with a clamp-receiving wedging flange and tapered sealingring seat at one end, as shown in the US. patent of Watts et al., US.Pat. No. 2,766,829, is to be connected with a part having abolt-receiving flange, an adapter is provided which may be used forclosing in a blowing well by allowing blowout control equipment such asa blowout preventer or master valve to be initially secured to the onepart of the adapter, swung into place in an open condition and fullycircumferentially secured to the adapter. The control equipment may thenbe closed to shut in the well. Additionally to this special use, theadapter may be used to interconnect parts whose end connectors differ intype from one another. To accomplish this when the wellhead part whichcan most conveniently be tied in to control the well is' equipped with aGrayloc" hub, i.e. a hub of the type illustrated in Watts et al., US.Pat. No. 2,766,829, the present invention provides an adapter clampwhich is shown by itself in FIGS. 1 and 2. The adapter clamp is designedto wrap around and fully engage a Grayloc" hub to convert the hub to aflange connection. The adapter clamp is provided with a swivel boltwhich also acts as a hinge bolt sufficiently laterally displaced fromwell flow that an adapter and master valve or blowout preventer may bemounted thereon away from the well flow. The control equipment assemblyhas a lower flange with the same bolt circle as the adapter clamp. Aseal ring is attached to the adapter clamp flange and skirts partlysurrounding that flange protect the seal ring. These skirts extendthrough quadrants and are installed 180 apart so that when the controlequipment (in open condition) is swung over the well flow, the skirtsdrop down to between the hinge bolt and securement of the clamp. Duringthe rotation operation, the skirts ride on top of the clamp, thuspreventing the seal ring from being damaged. When the adapter is inproper position over the well flow, the inside arc of the skirts fit theoutside arc of the clamp. The flange bolts may then be installed betweenthe clamp and the adapter lower end flange and the control equipmentclosed to control the well and cut off flow therefrom.

The device of the invention, no doubt, has other additional uses thanthe use principally described above, and such should become apparent tothose skilled in the art after reading the above description inassociation with the accompanying drawings. For instance, the device maybe used under similar circumstances, to control flow from a petroleum,water or chemical pipeline having a damaged shutoff valve.

Familiar tenns of spatial orientation such as up and down" or similarones used in this specification describe preferred, usual orientation ofthe devices under discussion. They are used to convey the relevantconcepts most expeditiously and are not intended to exclude inversion,canting, recumbency or other varied spatial orientation of the devicesdescribed, unless the need for a particular orientation is evident.

It should now be apparent that the adaptive conduit connec tion asdescribed herein above possesses each of the attributes set forth in thespecification under the heading Summary of the Invention" hereinbefore.Because the adaptive conduit connection of the invention can be modifiedto some extent without departing from the principles of the invention asthey have been outlined'and explained in this specification, the presentinvention should be understood as encompassing all such modifications asare within the spirit and scope of the following claims.

What is claimed is:

l. A clamp-type conduit connector comprising a clamp including meansdefining a plurality of arcuate clamp segments, each having twoangularly opposite ends; means defining a radially inwardly openingarcuate recess on each segment, extending angularly on the inner side ofeach segment, each said recess being configured to receive acorresponding angular portion of a wedge-type conduit end flange;securement means on each of two adjacent ones of said ends of differentones of said segments cooperable for removably securing said clampcircumferentially about a conduit part end in clamped relation thereto;at least one ear mounted on each of two adjacent other ones of said endsof different ones of said segments, said ears lying in adjacencyparallel to the longitudinal axis of said clamp; hinge pin means hingingsaid ears to one another about an axis parallel to the longitudinal axisof said clamp, said hinge pin means including an elongated shankextending axially beyond said ears in one direction; a control equipmentassembly including a tubular body having a through bore and means forselectively permitting and obstructing fluid flow through saidthroughbore; means defining a circumferentially extending securementflange on said control equipment assembly adjacent the lower extentthereof; at least one ear mounted on said control equipment andextending laterally outwardly of said securement flange; said hinge pinmeans mounting the last-mentioned ear for providing pivoting of saidcontrol equipment assembly about the longitudinal axis of said hinge pinmeans between one extreme wherein said control equipment assembly isfully out of axial registry with the clamp and another extreme whereinsaid control equipment is fully in axial registry with the clamp; meansdefining a circumferential sealing surface on said control equipmentassembly securement flange configured to accept a seal for sealingbetween the securement flange and the conduit part end; and cooperativesecurement means on said securement flange and said clamp for drawingsaid securement flange and said clamp securely together to connect thesame axial alignment with one another to sealingly connect said controlequipment assembly and the conduit part end bearing said clamp.

2. The clamp-type conduit connector of claim I wherein said controlequipment assembly securement flange comprises a bolt flange havingmeans defining a plurality of bolt openings axially therethrough,angularly spaced from one another about a bolt circle; and wherein saidcooperative securement means comprises means defining a correspondingplurality of correspondingly located bolt openings axially through thesegments of said clamp, and a plurality of bolt and nut assemblies, eachsecured through respective of said bolt flange and clamp bolt openings.

3. The clamp-type conduit connector of claim 1 wherein said controlequipment assembly comprises a blowout preventer.

4. The clamp-type conduit connector of claim 1 wherein said controlequipment assembly comprises a master drilling valve.

5. The clamp-type conduit connector of claim 2 wherein saidcircumferential sealing surface comprises a frustoconically curvedinternal sealing ring seat in said control equipment assembly throughbore which enlarges in diameter toward an end of the through borenearest said clamp; a sealing ring having two external, oppositelyfrustoconically curved, coaxial, circumferential sealing surfacesdefined thereon at regions thereof which are axially displaced from oneanother; and securement means fastening said sealing ring to saidcontrol equipment assembly bolt flange with one sealing surface of saidsealing ring positioned for sealing engagement with said sealing ringseat of said control equipment assembly through bore.

6. The clamp-type conduit connector of claim 5 further including sealring protecting arcuate skirt means mounted on said control equipmentassembly bolt flange and protruding therebelow to at least the lowerextent of said sealing ring; said arcuate skirt means being positionedto partially circumferentially surround said clamp and to lie angularlybetween the clamp segment ears and the means for removably securing theclamp about a conduit part end, when said control equipment assembly isbrought into axial alignment with said clamp.

7. Apparatus for effecting control of a petroleum well blow ing wildthrough a wellhead conduit part having an external, clamp-receivingwedging flange extending circumferentially thereon and an internal,frustoconically curved sealing ring seat in the bore thereof, both atthe upper end of said wellhead conduit part, said apparatus comprising:a segmental, contractile-expansible clamp having recess means definedthereon configured to receive and extensively engage said wellheadconduit part external, clamp-receiving wedging flange; a controlequipment assembly including a body portion having a throughbore andmeans for selectively permitting and preventing fluid flow through saidthroughbore; hinge means pivotally securing said control equipmentassembly to said clamp for pivoting said control equipment assembly froma first position fully laterally off set from the through bore of thewellhead conduit part to a second position in axial alignment with thethroughbore of the wellhead conduit part; a bolt flange beingcircumferentially provided on said control equip ment assembly adjacentthe lower extent thereof, a plurality of corresponding bolt-receivingopenings being defined through said bolt flange and in said clamp, and acorresponding plurality of bolt assemblies for securely bolting saidbolt flange to said clamp, whereby once said clamp has been installedand contracted on the wellhead conduit part wedging flange with thecontrol equipment assembly in the first position thereof and incondition to permit the flow of fluid therethrough, the controlequipment assembly may be pivoted to said second position thereof, saidbolt assemblies securely installed and said control equipment assemblyselective means actuated to prevent flow of fluid therethrough to thuscontrol blowing of fluids from the petroleum well.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 further including means defining aninternal, frustoconically curved sealing ring seat in the throughborebore of said control equipment assembly adjacent the lower extentthereof; and an annular sealing ring having two axially oppositelydirected lips; means defining two oppositely tapering externalfrustoconically curved sealing surfaces on said sealing ring, one oneach lip; said sealing ring sealingly engaging the sealing ring seat ofsaid control equipment assembly throughbore and being configured to sealwith the sealing ring seat in the bore of the wellhead conduit partupper end upon securement of said bolt assemblies between said boltflange and said clamp.

i l i i l

1. A clamp-type conduit connector comprising a clamp including meansdefining a plurality of arcuate clamp segments, each having twoangularly opposite ends; means defining a radially inwardly openingarcuate recess on each segment, extending angularly on the inner side ofeach segment, each said recess being configured to receive acorresponding angular portion of a wedge-type conduit end flange;securement means on each of two adjacent ones of said ends of differentones of said segments cooperable for removably securing said clampcircumferentially about a conduit part end in clamped relation thereto;at least one ear mounted on each of two adjacent other ones of said endsof different ones of said segments, said ears lying in adjacencyparallel to the longitudinal axis of said clamp; hinge pin means hingingsaid ears to one another about an axis parallel to the longitudinal axisof said clamp, said hinge pin means including an elongated shankextending axially beyond said ears in one direction; a control equipmentassembly including a tubular body having a through bore and means forselectively permitting and obstructing fluid flow through saidthroughbore; means defining a circumferentially extending securementflange on said control equipment assembly adjacent the lower extentthereof; at least one ear mounted on said control equipment andextending laterally outwardly of said securement flange; said hinge pinmeans mounting the last-mentioned ear for providing pivoting of saidcontrol equipment assembly about the longitudinal axis of said hinge pinmeans between one extreme wherein said control equipment assembly isfully out of axial registry with the clamp and another extreme whereinsaid control equipment is fully in axial registry with the clamp; meansdefining a circumferential sealing surface on said control equipmentassembly securement flange configured to accept a seal for sealingbetween the securement flange and the conduit part end; and cooperativesecurement means on said securement flange and said clamp for drawingsaid securement flange and said clamp securely together to connect thesame axial alignment with one another to sealingly connect said controlequipment assembly and the conduit part end bearing said clamp.
 2. Theclamp-type conduit connector of claim 1 wherein said control equipmentassembly securement flange comprises a bolt flange having means defininga plurality of bolt openings axially therethrough, angularly spaced fromone another about a bolt circle; and wherein said cooperative securementmeans comprises means defining a corresponding plurality ofcorrespondingly located bolt openings axially through the segments ofsaid clamp, and a plurality of bolt and nut assemblies, each securedthrough respective of said bolt flange and clamp bolt openings.
 3. Theclamp-type conduit connector of claim 1 wherein said control equipmentassembly comprises a blowout preventer.
 4. The clamp-type conduitconnector of claim 1 wherein said control equipment assembly comprises amaster drilling valve.
 5. The clamp-type conduit connector of claim 2wherein said circumferential sealing surface comprises a frustoconicallycurved internal sealing ring seat in said control equipment assemblythrough bore which enlarges in diameter toward an end of the throughbore nearest said clamp; a sealing ring having two external, oppositelyfrustoconically curved, coaxial, circumferential sealing surfacesdefined thereon at regions thereof which are axially displaced from oneanother; and securement means fastening said sealing ring to saidcontrol equipment assembly bolt flange with one sealing surface of saidsealing ring positioned for sealing engagement with said sealing ringseat of said control equipment assembly through bore.
 6. The clamp-typeconduit connector of claim 5 further including seal ring protectingarcuate skirt means mounted on said control equipment assembly boltflange and protruding therebelow to at least the lower extent of saidsealing ring; said arcuate skirt means being positioned to partiallycircumferentially surround said clamp and to lie angularly between theclamp segment ears and the means for removably securing the clamp abouta conduit part end, when said control equipment assembly is brought intoaxial alignment with said clamp.
 7. Apparatus for effecting control of apetroleum well blowing wild through a wellhead conduit part having anexternal, clamp-receiving wedging flange extending circumferentiallythereon and an internal, frustoconically curved sealing ring seat in thebore thereof, both at the upper end of said wellhead conduit part, saidapparatus comprising: a segmental, contractile-expansible clamp havingrecess means defined thereon configured to receive and extensivelyengage said wellhead conduit part external, clamp-receiving wedgingflange; a control equipment assembly including a body portion having athroughbore and means for selectively permitting and preventing fluidflow through said throughbore; hinge means pivotally securing saidcontrol equipment assembly to said clamp for pivoting said controlequipment assembly from a first position fully laterally off set fromthe through bore of the wellhead conduit part to a second position inaxial alignment with the throughbore of the wellhead conduit part; abolt flange being circumferentially provided on said control equipmentassembly adjacent the lower extent thereof, a plurality of correspondingbolt-receiving openings being defined through said bolt flange and insaid clamp, and a corresponding plurality of bolt assemblies forsecurely bolting said bolt flange to said clamp, whereby once said clamphas been installed and contracted on the wellhead conduit part wedgingflange with the control equipment assembly in the first position thereofand in condition to permit the flow of fluid therethrough, the controlequipment assembly may be pivoted to said second position thereof, saidbolt assemblies securely installed and said control equipment assemblyselective means actuated to prevent flow of fluid therethrough to thuscontrol blowing of fluids from the petroleum well.
 8. The apparatus ofclaim 7 further including means defining an internal, frustoconicallycurved sealing ring seat in the throughbore of said control equipmentassembly adjacent the lower extent thereof; and an annular sealing ringhaving two axially oppositely directed lips; means defining twooppositely tapering external frustoconically curved sealing surfaces onsaid sealing ring, one on each lip; said sealing ring sealingly engagingthe sealing ring seat of said control equipment assembly throughbore andbeing configured to seal with the sealing ring seat in the bore of thewellhead conduit part upper end upon securement of said bolt assembliesbetween said bolt flange and said clamp.